Comprehensive Report on Applied Project Management Principles

This report provides a comprehensive overview of applied project management, starting with examples of successful and failed projects, such as OnePlus and the Denver International Airport's baggage system, respectively. It delves into project constraints, specifically project scope, budget, and schedule, explaining their importance and management processes. The report also discusses the project management triangle, highlighting the interdependencies of scope, time, and cost. Furthermore, it touches upon the need for different management styles within project management, emphasizing the importance of adapting leadership approaches to various project contexts. This document aims to provide a thorough understanding of the core principles and practical applications of project management.

Running head: APPLIED PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Applied Project Management
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1Applied Project Management
Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................2
Answer to part A:.............................................................................................................................2
Example of a successful project management:............................................................................2
Example of a failed project management:...................................................................................2
Answer to part B:.............................................................................................................................3
Project Scope:..............................................................................................................................3
Budget:.........................................................................................................................................5
Schedule:......................................................................................................................................7
Project Management Triangle (Triple Constraint):.....................................................................9
Answer to part C:...........................................................................................................................11
Conclusion:....................................................................................................................................13
References......................................................................................................................................14

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Introduction:
Project management is a process that involves planning, organizing, leading, executing,
controlling and reporting a project through resources. A project is defined as a short-term activity
that is intended to produce an exclusive result, service or product. The process is performed by
effectively and efficiently applying the required knowledge and skill. The primary aim of the
project management is the fulfilment of the given object within the provided or available
constraints. The purpose of project management is to deliver a complete project that complies
with the client objectives (Larson et al. 2014). To understand the application of project
management the following section discusses about a successful project followed by a failed
project along with reasons for the project failure. The next section discusses about the constraints
of the project such as project scope, budget, schedule and explain the triple constraint concept of
the project management triangle. Finally, the project discusses about requirement for different
management styles within project management.
Answer to part A:
Example of a successful project management:
OnePlus has become one of the most successful phone through the world. Hence, the
project of OnePlus can be called a great and a successful project. The phones are of good quality
and very low price compared to other brands such as Iphone or Samsung, and with almost
similar feature. Moreover, due to company’s good and popular marketing strategy people are
getting associated (Blogs.cornell.edu, 2018).
Example of a failed project management:
The automated baggage system project at Denver international airport (DIA) is an
example of failed project. In year 1991, DIA had tried and wanted to upgrade as well as remodel

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its system of luggage check-in and transfer as the system was very time-consuming. The idea
was to fix barcoded tag on each luggage item that went through destination-coded vehicles. This
would completely automate all baggage transfers and incorporate that in all three terminals and
minimise the aircraft’s overall turnaround time.
Reasons for failure: When DAI had given contract to the BAE systems for developing the
automated system of baggage handling, then the company had sticked to its non-realistic two-
year project schedule and avoided the timelines of BAE project. The project was underscoped
and the unnecessary risk had been taken by the management. However, the most adverse
decision was excluding airline in the planning decision (Burge and McCall 2015). Thus, the
reasons for the above project can be listed as follows.
 Requirements are incomplete;
 User involvement is nor present;
 Expectations are unrealistic;
 Lack of proper planning.
Answer to part B:
Project Scope:
Project scope is defined as the set of project features or deliverables that are derived from
project requirements. Project scope is a part of project planning that determines and documents a
list of project features, functions, goals, deliverables, tasks, deadlines and finally cost and
budget. Thus, project scope implies objectives that must be achieved and the work that needs to
be done for project delivery (Fageha and Aibinu 2013). In order to define a project scope
properly, the following processes needs to be followed.

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1) Define the product requirement: Prior to project scope’s determination one must be clear
about the product requirements such as features and functions that are required for the website or
application and/or software package or product that needs to be developed; speciality that must
be incorporated into the design; set of guidelines that needs to be followed and so on (Heldman
2018).
2) Define the process requirement: Process requirement must explain how people interact with
the product and how the product interact with the other processes such as the way of data
transition or the way business transaction flow. For instance, the requirements of the transaction
of a billing process in a particular website application of a company such as the way the
transaction must be linked to account or invoices (Inayat et al. 2015).
3) Inclusion of proper stakeholders: If the correct stakeholders do not participate during
various phases of project scope then stakeholder confusion can occur at the end of the project
scope.
4) Identification of limitations: It is important to specify or mention what will not be done in
the project or what is beyond-scope for a project otherwise people will presume or suspect that
certain things that were not budgeted for are to be executed.
5) Change management: After defining the project scope, it should not be changed without
implementing functions of change management which is done by taking action for addressing the
shifting requirements (Cameron and Green 2015).
The management of project scope involves processes which ensure that the project’s
scope is exactly defined and mapped. The techniques of project scope management allows
project managers to assign the exact work amount required for project completion as well as

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controls what is part of project’s scope and what is not (Fleming and Koppelman 2016). The
project scope management consists of the following processes:
 Plan process: It grabs and define the work that is required to be done.
 Control process: It focuses on scope creep, tracking document, approving/rejecting project
alternations.
 Close process: It audits the project deliverables and assesses the result against the original
plan.
The project scope is characterised as identification of work that is necessary to deliver or
complete a project. The project needs to ensure the scope (required work) must be completed
within budget and within allotted time. The documentation of project scope describes the project
domains, setup the project responsibilities of each project team member and establishes the
methods regarding the way the completed work will be examined and approved (Kermanshachi
et al. 2017).
Budget:
A project budget is defined as the main financial document that contains the total amount
of financial resources that is authorised and assigned for specific purposes of the sponsored
project for an exact time period. The project budget is composed of funds that are required for
project implementation and project deliverables. The project budget contains a detailed statement
of entire direct and overhead costs, which are required for execution of project objectives (Naldi
et al. 2016).
As a separate and independent process, the management of project budget consists of the
following series of steps.

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1) Development of budget: In this process the project manager develops the cost estimates,
identifies the complete amount of money resources that are required for the implementation of all
the activities / tasks that are defined as well as stated in schedule and work breakdown structure
(WBS). Budget development includes both operating and capital expenses. After completing the
required estimation and identification, the project manager defines the fund requirements and
sends it in the form of a formal request to the sponsor. The sponsor reviews the requirements and
then makes a package decision regarding provision for financial resources and required money.
During the decision making process, the sponsor may also consider the initiation document such
as business case, project charter, feasibility study. After the decision-making process, the project
manager in association with the key stakeholders estimate the required amount of financial
resources and develop the project budget template (Marchewka 2014).
2) Use of budget: In this process, the identified financial resources are allocated and the budget
execution begins. The project manager must control as well as keep track the budgeted resources
to ensure that each task / activity is performed with proper funding and there should not be any
shortage of money for the overall project implementation. The proper way to track and control
the budget use is to work out and investment plan that explains the acquisition process with
reference to the feasibility study. The project manager sends an investment request to the
stakeholder for their approval / rejection. In case the request is approved then the manger uses
the plan for controlling budget execution. Otherwise, the manager needs to follow the
stakeholders’ suggestion and make the required changes to the plan template. This change
process may get repeated until the plan gets approved (Beringer, Jonas and Kock 2013).
3) Measurement of budget: In this process, the manager uses the work performance data (such
as deliverables’ status, estimates of cost-schedule), the level of cost performance, request for

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funding requirements to measure or check the appropriateness of the budget. The project
manager compares the cost performance with the planned financial resources mentioned in
project budget template through forecasting, variance analysis and performance reviews. In the
event of any deviations, it is required to perform the change requests and accordingly change the
budget. Corrective actions can be prepared by the project manager to send suggestion to the
stakeholders for their approval. Further budget measurement and control can be done according
to the required evaluations and approvals (Verzuh 2015).
4) Updating of budget: After the approval of key stakeholders for all the changes, the project
manager can update and revise the budget sheet and can make alternations to the financial
resources’ current breakdown structure. Estimates of cost, resource activity as well as level of
cost performance must be updated as per approved changes.
Schedule:
A project schedule is defined as a list of project activities, deliverables, milestones along
with intended start and end dates. A project schedule is a timetable that indicates what needs to
be done as well as what resources must be used. This indicates is outlined by the start and end
dates. In order to evenly distribute work among team members, the project schedule is
associatively used with WBS. For better understanding of the project’s current status the project
schedule needs to be regularly updated. The project manager will be unable to communicate
about the required complete effort for delivery of the project without a proper and complete
schedule. The project schedule must be viewed and updated by each project member. The project
schedule is the most visible and biggest aspect of project management (Heagney 2016). The
processes that are associated with project scheduling are as follows. These processes are
chronologically performed.

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1) Planning of schedule management: In this process, the methods, policies and documentation
that govern production of project schedule is defined. During this process, the factors such as
resources, contingencies, task dependencies, organizational methods and stakeholders’ needs to
be addressed (Hwang and Ng 2013).
2) Defining activities: In this process, the identification and documentation of the specific
actions to be performed for producing the project deliverables. Here the work packages are
divided into activities. While determining the activity list the following things must be
considered (Nicholas and Steyn 2017).
 The task / activity must be reliably estimated.
 Base the task / activity on deliverable.
 Match tasks / activities to cost account
 Make the task / activity as measurable.
3) Sequencing activities: After dividing the project into tasks, the relationship between them
must be determined. In this task, the identification and documentation of the relationship of the
project tasks are performed.
4) Estimation of activity resources: This process estimates the type as well as number of
human resources, material, equipment to perform each task. Here resources include labour, tools
and equipment, facilities, overpay time, financing costs, contingencies,
5) Estimation of activity duration: There may be case when the required resource may not be
available all the time. The project consults a document called resource calendar to confirm the
resource availability. This document states the resource availability. Thus, this process
determines the number of work periods required for completing individual activities with
estimated resources (Ghoddousi et al. 2013).

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6) Developing schedule: This process develops the most efficient schedule for the project. This
process uses the critical path method to find the shortest possible project completion date
(Firouzi et al. 2013).
Project Management Triangle (Triple Constraint):
The project management triangle (PMT) or triple constraint is a project management tool
that measures the project’s progress or development. The PMT is used to analyse projects. The
triple constraint is a mixture of three important restrictions on any project –scope, cost and
schedule. The triple constraint is also called PMT because as shown in the figure of typical
triangular model below the three sides of triangle respectively represent the scope, and schedule
(time) and cost constraints.
These three constraints are interdependent because none of them can be changed without
affecting one or both of the others. The difficulty of satisfying expectations for all three
constraints is often expressed as pick two concept. According to this concept in any set of three
desired qualities, only two can be delivered. For instance, if the project budget is kept low, then
product is likely be of lower quality or it will take longer time.
PMT focuses on the project’s three key constraints and each side of the triangle shows a
constraint. PMT reflects that the successfulness of a project depend on the way project manager
deals with these constraints (Ebbesen and Hope 2013).
Time (T) Cost (C)
Scope (S)
(T)

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Time constraint: It involves defining, planning as well as rearranging activities orderly and
estimation of resource requirements. Schedule preparation to accommodate all these activities is
part of time constraint. Project management as well as scheduling software can make the
controlling and scheduling activities much easier. The manager must make a plan to define each
activity and the period within which it will complete. The manger must arrange all the activities
in a well-known order. If this can be done, then the project will be completed before deadline
(Catanio, Armstrong and Tucker 2013).
Cost constraint: One big challenge for the project manager is completion of the project within
allocated budget. The project finance can be effectively managed by using project management
software. In project management, cost constraint focuses on project’s financial aspects such as
cost contingency, cost estimation, measures for cost control and so on. Additionally, other
budgeting aspects and risk management comes under PMT. The project manager needs to focus
on cost control and budgeting in order to complete the project within budget (Catanio,
Armstrong and Tucker 2013).
Scope constraint: It includes goals, deliverables and milestones. To keep the project scope
under control is quite critical otherwise; project creep will have harmful impact on the project. It
is important to ensure that before delivery all the features must be working as defined (Catanio,
Armstrong and Tucker 2013).
The drawbacks of the PMT are as follows.
 It is not suitable for today’s dynamic environment of project.
 Customer satisfaction has not been considered

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 No focus and emphasis on business objectives and quality of delivery.
Although PMT will not work for today’s complex projects, still one must stay focused on
cost, time and scope of project as explained by PMT to deliver a quality product as well as to
save the project from disaster.
Answer to part C:
There is a need for different management styles within project management as the management
style is situational and it depends on following factors.
 The situation that the project manager is manages.
 The seniority, experience and longevity of the involved team member.
 The trust level of the manager with the involved team member.
 The manager’s relationship with the team member who is responsible for the work.
 Prior practices of the organization or department in which the manger work.
 The organizational culture and whether the manager fits into the culture.
 Manager’s own experience and comfort level in applying various management style to
different projects.
The different styles of project management are as follows.
 Participative approach: This style is used in order to avoid conflict among team members.
It is practically effective and useful if every team member care about each other’s opinions
and feelings as well as encourages and motivates each other participation in decision-making
(Burke and Barron 2014).
 Transformational approach: This style is appropriate if the application of a new technique
can ensure and provide continuous success. This style is particularly suitable when the